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“We were already pretty fond of each other.”
“Yeah, but now being together will be a big deal rather than just another day at the office.”
*
It was hard to concentrate on my work the next day when I was so distracted by wondering what Owen would make of the spell. I tried memorizing another one and wrote more symbols on the inside of my wrist. Writing those symbols while whispering the words under my breath might have been dangerous if I’d had any magic in me. Being immune to magic came in handy at times.
I looked for another hidden note outside my new building when I got home, but I didn’t see anything. I was sitting on the sofa, writing out the new spell, when I glanced up and barely bit back a scream when I saw a monster staring through the window. A second later, I realized that it wasn’t a monster. It was just a gargoyle perched on my balcony. I got up and opened the French doors to allow him inside.
“Thanks, doll,” Sam said, shaking the snow off his wings. “It was gettin’ cold out there. I got a message for you from Palmer.” He cleared his throat, then said in Owen’s voice, “Excellent work, Katie! I’m doing some analysis of that spell, but if it’s what I think it is, it’s more dangerous to the Collegium than it is to us. I think it’s a key to something important they may have hidden. That, and not the plan, may be how that person a century ago took over.” Sam cleared his throat again and said in his normal voice, “Got that, doll?”
“Yeah, I did, thanks. And let me guess, he’s still there working on it.”
“You know him so well.”
“Do you mind waiting a second or two? I got another spell today, and I’m just finishing writing it out.” Only then did it occur to me that maybe we shouldn’t have been talking openly in here. “Oops, this might not be a safe place to talk.”
Sam waved a wing. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I got it covered. I’ve been in the security game a long time. I barely say hello to the neighbors without warding. But I wouldn’t have conversations with anyone else here, if I was you. I’m not pickin’ up on anything, but better safe than sorry.”
I finished writing the spell, folded it, and handed it to Sam. He didn’t have pockets, since he didn’t have clothes, but the piece of paper vanished somewhere. “I’ll pass it on to him straighta
way. Good work, kiddo. When you come back, you’re comin’ to work for me, got that? I don’t want to waste these skills of yours.”
“It’s a deal,” I said.
I’d barely closed the French doors after he flew away before my personal phone rang. It was Gemma. “What happened to Philip?” she demanded. “I can’t seem to reach him.”
Twelve
Aware of what Sam had just warned me about, I kept my voice neutral and said, “Oh, were you expecting to hear from him?” as I picked up my coat and slid my free arm into it. I switched the phone to my other ear and put on the other sleeve while I slipped on the nearest pair of shoes, then ran down the stairs and out into the street.
Meanwhile, Gemma told me the whole story, how Phillip had been at work that day, but went missing without anyone noticing him leave. “What do you know about this?” she demanded.
“Nothing!” I said. “I know Roger threatened him, but I hadn’t heard anything about him going back there. I thought Philip knew to beef up his security. Owen was going to look into how MSI could help.”
“They said he did have security, but it’s like he vanished into thin air from inside his office, where he should have been safe. And no, they didn’t find any frogs in there.”
“When I saw Roger turn someone into a frog, he took the frog with him. They’ve got a frog pond in the building atrium so they’re safe in cold weather.” I meant it to be reassuring, but I had to admit that it probably didn’t come out that way.
“Can you get to him?” Her voice sounded strained with panic, pitched a little too high.
“I don’t know. I don’t have access to most of the building, and they seldom let me out of my office without an escort. I don’t know if that’s a place anyone’s just allowed to go, or if only certain people can. Even if I could get to him and figure out which frog it is and break the spell with a kiss, I still wouldn’t be able to get him out of the building.”
I could hear her taking a few long, deep breaths. “Okay, right, that makes sense,” she said, sounding a little steadier.
“Look, this is why I’m doing this,” I reminded her. “He’s not the only victim. I’m trying to find a way to take these people down. Then we can free everyone and make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else again.”
“I know. And I know it’s not your fault. He wouldn’t have been as prepared as he was if it hadn’t been for you.”
“I’m doing what I can, and trust me, it’s a little frustrating to be so constrained.”
After I ended the call, I popped into the nearest corner shop and bought a packet of cookies, in case someone was watching me and wondering why I was walking down the street, chatting on the phone, on a snowy evening. Besides, I needed chocolate and carbs in the worst way. That much wasn’t a cover.
Later that night, I was lying in bed, trying to still my brain enough to get some rest, when I spotted something glowing outside my window. I rolled over and sat up to see a sparkling arrow. Puzzled, I got out of bed and went to the French doors, opening them and stepping onto the balcony. Owen stood in the street below.
I didn’t need him to tell me what to do next. I rushed back inside, threw on my coat over my pajamas, and shoved my feet into shoes before running downstairs.
When I was just a few feet away from him, he knelt and touched the ground. I felt a surge of power, and then the world seemed to stop. The snowflakes froze in the air around us. He straightened as I reached him, and I stepped right into his embrace as he caught me and kissed me. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed that, so I let myself enjoy it for a long moment, even though I was pretty sure he hadn’t come here and pulled a magical stunt he wasn’t supposed to do just so we could have a makeout session.
